The present invention relates generally to electrical connection devices and more particularly to plug and socket connectors of the type used to couple cable conductors. Such a connector would be used for example in reversibly connecting a microphone cable to a cable for related equipment.
It is known in the prior art to employ cable connectors embodying interfitable, cooperating parts for purposes of electrically connecting cable conductors having a ground wire or sheath asociated therewith. The ground wires or sheaths may be in electrical connection with the respective housing portions of the connector in which each ground wire or sheath terminates whereby it is advantageous to electrically connect both portions of the connector housing together to provide a continuous grounding path through the connector. Such an electrical connector is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,961 to Bailey et al issued on Nov. 23, 1965.
It is known that a conductor sheath, for example, may be grounded at intervals to shield the conductor against impingement thereon of externally generated electrical interference. It is further known that the cable sheath, for the optimum performance of its function, should extend in an unbroken fashion throughout the entire length of the cable.
Accordingly, in utilizing such a connector as considered hereinabove, interference by electrical impulses emanating from sources outwardly of the connected cables may be minimized.
The connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,961 includes means for connecting cable sheaths to the respectively associated metallic housing portions and in turn discloses means for electrically connecting the housing portions and necessarily the ground wires or sheaths to one another across the connection.
Although connectors are known to include both halves of their housings electrically connected to one another as well as the respective ground wires or sheaths related thereto, such connectors include a multiplicity of elements which in turn involves the disadvantages of complicated fabrication, assembly and sources of reliability problems.